1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication systems for providing services to individual and corporate subscribers worldwide. More specifically, the invention relates to an advanced intelligent communication system that provides subscriber-requested services through existing communication switches even in those circumstances in which the hardware communication switch is not configured to provide such services. The system supports the use of personal identification number (PIN) access cards for use in fixed and mobile markets from any communication device located anywhere in the world and provides flexible call processing and switching services that deliver enhanced computer telephony capabilities, utilizing standard communication equipment and operating systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advanced communication services, such as call forwarding, call conferencing, and voice mail have long been available to individual and corporate subscribers of telephone services. However, because such services are dependent on telephone carrier equipment, and because not all telephone switches can presently support all available advanced communication services, many subscribers are still unable to take advantage of these services at their home or at their place of business. Furthermore, even though a subscriber may have such services available at his or her normal place for communication, the services may be unavailable should the user attempt access through another person""s communication device, a personal computer, a portable telephone, or a public phone. In other words, access to such services is extremely limited B restricted by the equipment in use, the equipment offered by the telephone carrier, and the prior sign-up by the particular subscriber.
Specialized equipment and proprietary software are conventionally used to provide various advanced services on a telephone system, such as abbreviated dialing, password service, automatic alarm, multiline hunting, call forwarding (busy, no reply, unconditional, and selective), call accept (selective), call back, distinctive ringing, network voice mail, and interception service. When an analog telephone switch is used in the communication network, as is the case in many remote areas, few of these advanced services are available to the customer. Similarly, if a basic digital switch is used, some of the advanced services described above may not be available depending on the software of the digital switch.
Presently, when advanced telephony services are desired to be made available to network customers within an analog-switched network, a proprietary digital switch must be purchased along with a proprietary computer operating system and proprietary software. If the network uses a digital switch and advanced services are desired to be added to the network, a replacement digital switch and supporting software might have to be acquired. In either situation, an outdated, xe2x80x9clegacyxe2x80x9d switch is replaced with a xe2x80x9cnew generationxe2x80x9d switch. In the alternative, some features can be added to an existing digital switch by upgrading the switch and its proprietary software. Whichever upgrade measure is taken, the process is expensive and time-consuming to acquire, install, test, and maintain the requisite hardware and software. Therefore, whether an analog switch is upgraded to a proprietary digital switching platform, such as those available from Lucent Technologies or Nortel, or an existing digital switch is upgraded to provide additional services, significant cost and effort are involved.
Therefore, time, effort, and expenses would be saved if there were a way to provide enhanced communication services to customers without replacing or upgrading existing legacy switches and supporting software. The platform and method (hereinafter collectively referred to as the xe2x80x9csystemxe2x80x9d) of the present invention meet such a need by interfacing with older xe2x80x9clegacyxe2x80x9d switches, whether analog or digital, and by operating on industry-standard computer platforms that satisfy telephone companies"" functional and technical requirements.
In addition to hardware and software limitations, access to advanced communication services is further limited by the payment platform utilized by the customer. Access to and payment for communication services through the use of prepaid cards, such as telephone calling cards, is well known in the field of electronic communication. Such prepaid calling cards are sold at department stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, and other places of business. The prepaid calling cards can be produced in any specific amount or denomination, such as $10.00, $25.00, or $100.00, printed on the card. Also printed on the card are an access telephone number and additional instructional or promotional information. In addition, although typically not printed on the card, is a personal identification number (PIN) for authenticating the user. The access telephone number is the number to be initially dialed to interface with a host computer to access the desired communication service. To initiate a connection, the card holder first dials the access number, often a toll-free number; second, the card holder manually enters the associated PIN; and third, the card holder dials the telephone number of the location to be called.
Upon verification and authorization of the entered information and the prepaid card balance, the user is connected to the network. The access number links the cardholder to the computer host. Magnetic strip or bar code readers may also be used to decode information stored on the card, including an account code, but the additional step of manually entering a PIN is required by the user to complete a telephone call or another transaction. The PIN is intended to provide secured access to various services and features by limiting those services and features to users presumably authorized by virtue of their knowledge of the correct PIN; the PIN being verified to authenticate that the cardholder is a valid user. Once a call is placed using the telephone calling card, the charges for the call are billed to the card holder""s account or decremented from the card.
However, while prepaid calling cards have become a convenient method by which telephone calling services may be made available to customers worldwide, regardless of the telephone being used, such calling cards do not permit access to more advanced communication services, such as voice mail, call forwarding, or call conferencing. The reason for this limitation is that present networks limit calling card access to simple calls for which the account represented by the card may be either debited or charged. No integrated system exists that links calling card accounts with a database for offering more advanced services, such as a mailbox for voice mail messages or a pathway for conference calling or linking telephone numbers for call forwarding. In other words, card holders are presently constrained from using the calling card to access contracted, advanced communication services from any communication device worldwide for receiving desired, advanced communication services.
Another problem associated with the use of telephone calling cards through which advanced communication services may be purchased is the management, tracking, and accounting of such transactions. This problem arises because most communication systems permitting use of telephone calling cards are concerned primarily with the authorized payment of delivering such services and because prepaid telephone cards often are purchased as a commodity and no linking between card usage and an identifiable account, person, or corporation can be maintained. In short, the user does not have access to a comprehensive customer care system, which incorporates the administrative, card management, account management, security, customer care, and distribution management of a PIN access card system into a single software package on a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or any other communication network, without a need to purchase proprietary application software of the leading communication giants, such as Lucent, Nortel, etc.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome the problems associated with existing mechanisms for delivering advanced communication services to customers, with or without use of PIN access cards by providing an easily implemented, cost-effective, xe2x80x9copen standardsxe2x80x9d telephony solution that provides value-added services, such as voice mail, to people and businesses regardless of the sophistication of the switch to which they are connected, at a minimal cost to a local telephone company, service provider, or the subscribing consumer.
An object of the present invention is to provide enhanced communication services to users, regardless of where the users may be located in the world and regardless of the equipment through which the communication services are directed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide enhanced communication services to users through a PIN access card.
A further object of the present invention is to provide enhanced communication services to users through an interactive voice response system.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a method of providing enhanced communication services to users, the method including receiving from a user a personal identification number; authenticating the personal identification number; accepting a request from the user for an enhanced communication service after authentication of the personal identification number; verifying that the user is authorized to receive the requested service and that an account linked to the personal identification number has sufficient value to pay for the service; providing, by an enhanced services platform, the enhanced communication service to the user; and charging the account for providing the enhanced communication service.
The enhanced communication service preferably is provided through a network, including one or more of a landline communication network, a wireless communication network, a wide area network, a global computer network, a cable network, and a satellite network. Also, a high level application programming interface executing on the enhanced services platform independent of any hardware connecting the platform to the network is preferably used in providing the enhanced communication service. Charging for providing the enhanced communication service includes decrementing a charge from a pre-paid user account or adding a charge to a credit account. The enhanced communication services provided by the enhanced services platform include outcalling, voice mail functions, and call conferencing functions. Additionally, administration functions, card management functions, account management functions, external carrier and rate plan functions, sales administration functions, and system security functions are provided, with all such enhanced communications services being accessed with a personal identification number access card. The enhanced services platform includes an interactive voice response system, and the enhanced communication services are accessed by a user through either an analog switch or a digital switch, without upgrading the switch.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a method of providing enhanced communication services to users, the method including receiving from a user a request for an enhanced communication service; verifying, by an enhanced services platform, that the user is authorized to receive the enhanced communication service; and providing, by the enhanced services platform, the enhanced communication service to the user through a switch which is not configured to provide the enhanced communication service without the enhanced services platform.
The enhanced communication services provided by the enhanced services platform include call forwarding functions, call waiting functions, automatic alarm functions, abbreviated dialing functions, voice mail functions, call conferencing functions, call acceptance/rejection functions, call back functions, password functions, and interception functions.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a telephony platform providing enhanced communication services to users, the telephony platform including an input device to receive a personal identification number and an enhanced communication service selection from a user; a storage device storing account data related to the user; a verification module authenticating the personal identification number, verifying that the user is authorized to receive the selected communication service, and verifying that the stored account data has a balance sufficient to pay for the selected enhanced communication service; and a processor programmed to provide the selected enhanced communication service after the verification module has successfully completed its processing.
The processor is programmed to include the cost of providing the user-selected enhanced communication service in the user""s account data.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a telephony platform providing enhanced communication services to users, the telephony platform including an input device to receive an enhanced communication service selection from a user; a storage device storing account data related to the user; a verification module verifying that the user is authorized to receive the selected communication service and that the stored account data has an account balance sufficient to pay for the selected enhanced communication service; and a processor programmed to provide the selected enhanced communication service after the verification module has successfully completed its processing.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a method of providing enhanced communication services to users, the method including receiving from a user a personal identification number; authenticating the personal identification number; accepting a request from the user for an enhanced communication service; verifying that an account linked to the personal identification number has sufficient value to pay for the enhanced communication service; and providing, by an enhanced services platform, the enhanced communication service to the user.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a telephony platform providing enhanced communication services to users, the telephony platform including an input device to receive a personal identification number and an enhanced communication service selection from a user; a storage device storing an account value linked to the personal identification number; a verification module authenticating the personal identification number and verifying that the stored account value has sufficient value to pay for the enhanced communication service; and a processor programmed to provide the enhanced communication service.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such as a telephony platform providing enhanced communication services to users, the telephony platform including an input device to receive an enhanced communication service selection from a user; a storage device storing account data related to the user; a verification module verifying that the stored account data has an account balance sufficient to pay for the selected enhanced communication service; and a processor programmed to provide the selected enhanced communication service.
In a preferred environment, embodiments of the invention allow an access card system to be installed in any telephone network in the world, particularly in remote areas of the world where telephones and advanced network equipment are not easily accessible. The system provides advanced telephony services, such as outdialing, voice mail, and call conferencing services to customers, with a built-in rating engine for calculating usage charges, in any available public switched telephone network or any mobile telephone network. Charges for use of the system are preferably handled by an access card system, which includes call center services in a comprehensive operations support system that supports all critical business functions from creation to printing, distribution, sales, activation, and use of the access card products, and a comprehensive customer care system with access to customer care functions via a computer network implementing an easy to use interface, such as the world wide web. The system is available for individual (home) or corporate use.
The system preferably has an architecture supporting both prepaid and postpaid functionality in the same platform, regardless of the technological level of the switch utilized in the communication network. Because of this payment versatility, the system allows extensive account management functions, where management and administrative services provided business customers can differ from those offered home users.
In one embodiment, the system connects to an existing public switched telephone network (PSTN) switch and offers advanced communication services such as voice mail, call conferencing, call forwarding, call waiting, call accept, call reject, call hold, call park, and automatic alarm transparently to subscribers connected to the PSTN switch, without any upgrade in the PSTN switch. The system also provides subscribers with complete control over administrative services through an integrated interactive voice response system and password facility. This allows the PSTN provider to offer advanced communication services without upgrading the switches in the network and thus minimizing investment. These same advanced communication services can be made available by this system to telephony users over the Internet network or any online network, without the need of incorporating a traditional PSTN switch in the online network.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention also preferably support multiple vendor computer telephony integration (CTI) boards. This is achieved through design of a high level application programming interface (HAPI) that isolates the application software from the board-specific application programming interface. Thus the application software runs on most of the major CTI board vendors"" hardware. Any new CTI board vendor can be supported very quickly due to the design of the HAPI.